After-Thanksgiving-detox, this one’s for you. There’s not a bad thing about this soup. I didn’t even slip in half and half like I usually do. It’s vegan and vegetarian friendly to boot. Besides chopping up some veggies, this soup is simply effortless. Dump the ingredients in a dutch oven and step back. Fit in a quick workout. Pack a lunch for tomorrow. Pluck your eyebrows. Throw in a load of laundry. Or bake healthy chocolate chip cookies. Just let it be. It’s that kind of soup.

If you’re having a déjà vu moment—this soup has made an appearance on the blog before. You’re not going crazy. It’s since received a minor recipe makeover, which of course requires an updated photo shoot from Glamour Shots by Mel (that’s me). I’m contemplating a blog name change. What do you think?

Enough crazy talk. Guaranteed, this soup will add some healthy sanity to your life (and mine for that matter).

In a 5-quart Dutch oven or large soup pot, heat oil over medium and saute onion and garlic for about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add carrots, celery, and tomatoes to dutch oven. Allow to cook for 10 minutes.

Add crushed tomatos, bay leaves, paprika, cumin, chili powder, broth, rice, and chickpeas. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 30 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring occasionally. (Soup will thicken as it cooks.)

This looks delicious, and I totally admire your soup photography skills. My soups always look entirely unappealing and never end up getting posted. This however, looks stunning and healthy and amazing. Can’t wait to try it! I’ll probably even wilt in some spinach or kale for added healthiness. Yum!

We made this soup beauty yesterday. Just used 100% brown rice instead of your blend and will maybe drop it to 2 carrots next time (as those we can buy at the market Farmer’s Market here in Switzerland are just huge!), but no major changes otherwise as it was just delicious… I loved it, my wife loved it, and her Italian parents – who are here visiting – both managed, between mouthfuls, to utter the always-nice-to-hear word, “Buono!”.

So well done you! Next time I think I’ll give it a bash with tiny mararoni/ditali pasta in place of the rice maybe, for this monster cupboard full of pasta won’t eat itself!